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A new vision of land management

We have re-imaged how we use our land to better balance food production, water and the environment.

Use the slider below to see what this looks like - and visit our Ecological Masterplan page for further details

Biodiversity Net Gain

Landscape-scale holistic nature recovery project generating BNG units for developers

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Agroforestry

Perennial nut cropping cropping to reduce pollution, adapt to climate change and serve the local healthy food market

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Tours & Visits

Walking tours for individuals and groups

Guided Wildlife photography & beaver watching

Bespoke group tours

Education visits

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Nature-based solutions

Harnessing the incredible power of nature to drive change

Beaver engineering

Natural Flood Management

Holistic water management

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Environment & Biodiversity

Working with, and for, our natural environment

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People

Partnerships to heal and inform

Education visits

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Step into the future of UK land use with us as we establish a completely new model of farming using trees (agroforestry), nature-based approaches to conservation and climate action.


Tour the biodiversity project, woodland and wetland creation areas and learn about our holistic approach to landscape management.


We are the proud home of the first beavers to return to Essex for over 400 years. As a working farming estate we care deeply about our environment, woodlands and the wildlife we provide a home for. Enjoy the fruits of the forest with our sustainably produced, seasonal wild venison


Come and visit for beaver guided walking tours and guided photography hides.


Just a stones throw from Braintree, Saffron Walden, Haverhill, Stansted Airport, the M11, Cambridge, Colchester and Chelmsford we are on your doorstep. Come and visit!

Latest news

by Archie Ruggles-Brise 25 Mar, 2024
A project to reintroduce beavers to East Anglia has proven its worth, with the beavers successfully reducing the impact of flooding and drought by storing millions of litres of water over five years. Five years ago, Spains Hall Estate in Essex worked with the Environment Agency to release the first pair of beavers in East Anglia for over 500 years. With free reign across a 10-acre woodland stream, the beaver family, now numbering 11, have created nine dams which are estimated to store 3 million litres of water in ponds covering almost a quarter of the woodland. An animation produced by catchment-scientists from AtkinsRéalis reveals the scale and speed of the changes occurring over five years. Data collected by Kings College London demonstrates that the way water flows across the farm has also changed, with the beavers increasingly building bigger dams to trap more water each time it rains. These changes mean that storm water now flows downstream more slowly, some even being held for several months as it’s slowly released back into the river, helping alleviate low river water levels in summer. Matt Butcher, Environment Agency Catchment Manager, said: “We are delighted that the beavers have thrived and improved the landscape. Their work has demonstrated that nature-based solutions can be used to tackle challenges in smaller river catchments. We initially supported this work as a pilot study and have been really impressed with the results. We have since helped the estate scale up their beaver activity through more direct support, along with other partners, which has enabled the construction of two much larger beaver enclosures.” Molly Howell, Assistant Environmental Scientist at AtkinsRéalis, who produced the animation, said: “The animation is such a powerful tool to convey such a dramatic change in a simple way. The chance to track beaver-led changes over such a long time period has been a great opportunity for us. It means we have real-life insights which we can use to support both Estate and their partners, but also bring to our wider work. It’s a great example of how we’re able to use digital tools within a natural environment to enhance our understanding of what’s happening on the ground, and use that data to better inform how we support the project.” Archie Ruggles-Brise, Spains Hall Estate Manager, said: “This is a massive milestone for us. We took a chance 5 years ago that bringing beavers back would be beneficial, and it’s proven to be better than we could ever have imagined. Locally there is widespread support for the beavers and their work, with the community really taking them to their heart. You can even find beaver greetings cards , beaver beer and beaver-themes on local menus!”
by Archie Ruggles-Brise 08 Mar, 2024
Today, Spains Hall Estate is celebrating International Women’s Day, with good reason!
Brown hare at Spains Hall Estate
12 Feb, 2024
This week, whilst trying to count the large, swirling bird flocks frequenting our winter food cover for the annual GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count, I accidentally disturbed a hare laying up against the elements in a form, a shallow depression they dig. The hare sprang into action....
by Archie Ruggles-Brise 11 Jan, 2024
Independent report calls for 10 steps to recover our water environment
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